Roller-skate



(No Model.)

D. E. KEMPSTER ROLLER SKATE.

Patented July 14, 1885.

fi l 1185585 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL E. KEMPSTER, OF BOSTON, ASSIQNOB OF ONE-HALF TO STILES FROST, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROLLER-SKATE.

SPECIFICATTON forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,979, dated July 14, 1885.

Application filed January 24, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL E. KEMPSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roller-Skates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation. Fig. 2 is a section on the line A B in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of a modification of my device. Fig. 4 is a section of the same on the line 0 D in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail ofa modification of the adjusting mechanism.

My invention relates to rollerskatesin which the rollers are adjusted to turn curves by the natural inclination of the body, and the rollers are returned to a central or level position by the action of a spring. said spring usually having some means of adjustment attached to each separate truck to take up the wear, or to adjust the degree of pressure of the spring required by the skater. The spring usually employed consists of a rubber block, which in time, by constant use, becomes indented or permanently reduced in thickness upon one side by the action thereon of the roller-carrier, which, by the movement of the skater, is usually inclined more frequently on one side than on the other, in consequence of which the rub-- ber spring fails to return the rollers to a central or level position. These springs may be changed from one side or skate to the other,

and thus made to wear double the length of time; but in roller-skates as heretofore constructed, in order to change the spring from one skate to the other, or to replace by new ones, it is necessary to remove screws, or straighten the split pins which are in the pivotpins for holding the parts together. This is objectionable, as it takes time,and many of the split pins are broken in straightening;

(No model.)

and, furthermore, it is very difficult to compress a new spring, without a vise or suitable tool,sufficiently to admit of inserting the pivotpin to connect the parts together.

My invention has for its object to overcome these difficulties, and produce a roller-skate in which the springs in both trucks are equally compressed at the same time by one and the same adjustment; also to provide means whereby the springs may be readily exchanged or replaced without removing a screw or injuring any of the parts, and do it without the use of a vise or tool; also I provide simple and efii, cient means for self-oiling the axles of the rollers.

My invention consists in certain construe tion and combination of parts, whereby the desired end is attained, as hereinafter fully explained and claimed.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, a represents the foot-plate of a rollerskate, and b the hangers secured thereto. The hanger consists of two downward-projecting ears set on a proper angle to thefoot-plate, as usual. Between the ears are placed suitable-shaped rubber springs c, which are held in place by ribs or projections a on the foot-plate. dis the roller carrier or truck provided with the usual elongated tubular bearing, (2, for holding the axle (1", upon the opposite ends of which are mounted the skate-rollers e 6, held in place in the usual manner.

Between the ears'of the hanger I), and at about the same angle thereof, loosely fits the base of the roller-carrier (I, having pivotholes (1", and resting on the rubber spring 0, and pressed against it by the elongated pivotpinsf, the outer ends of which rest in holes or sockets b of the hanger-ear, thus forming a fulcrum for the pin. The pivot-pins are bentso that the body of each is parallel, or nearly so, to the foot-plate. That portion of it which passes through the slot or fork I) of the hanger Z), on which the roller-carrier is pivoted and which enters the socket b, is bent at an inclination so as to stand at about right angle to the angle of the hanger b. The inner ends of the pivot-pins f extend toward the center of the skate sufficiently to come within a recessed washer, g on a screw, h, extending down from the center of the foot-plate a. The elongated pivot-pins thus form levers which are adjusted by the nut I on the screw 71 to compress the spring the desired amount.

\Vhen it is desired to disconnect the parts to exchange or renew the springs c, it is only necessary to unscrew the nut I sufficiently to admit of springing the end of the pivot-pin out from under the nut and washer, when it may be withdrawn from the socket or hole I) and the roller-carrier removed from its hanger, as the slotted ear b readily admits of this as well as allowing sufiicient play vertically to the pivotpin to compress the spring as desired when the parts are together.

In plain roller-skating it is desirable to have the springs c adjusted to produce considerable pressure; but in fancy skating it is desirable to take off most of the pressure, so as to be able to turn sharp curves with all four rolls bearing on the door.

The advantage of my improvement must therefore be apparent, as the skater need not stop skating at all, but can run on one skate long enough to raise the other and adjust the spring-pressure as desired. As will be seen in Fig. 1, the weight of the skater rests on the rubber springs c, and not on the pivot-pins. This construction gives an elastic tread and insures an easy motion as well as durability.

As shown in Fig. 2, I bore a hole, 0, into the rollers c and place therein a piece of felt, 0?, or other fibrousmaterial,which is saturated with oil, all it will take up, and a screw-cap, e, is screwed in tightly over it, and capillary action and the revolution of the roller feeds the oil onto the axle in just sufficient quantities to lubricatewithout running outside the rollers.

Figs. 3 and 4 represent a modification of my device, in which the cost of the roller-skate is cheapened by dispensing with the rubber springs, and, as shown, the base of the rollercarrier (1 rests on the pivot-pins f, and the shoulders or projections b b on the hanger I). The bodies of the pivot-pins are swaged down thin and wide, and, being tempered, form springs c 0. The nut I is recessed or grooved for the ends of the spring pivot-pins to rest in, thus dispensing with the washer g. A common machine-screw, h, turned by a screw driver from the top of the foot-plate, serves to adjust the spring to press the base of the roller-carrier against the shoulders or projections I)" I), thus holding the trucks square and level, as shown plainly in Fig. 4. Vhen, however, bythe movementof the skater, the rollercarrier (1 is rocked or pressed over to one side or the other with respect to the hanger I), one of the shoulders or projections I) Z) takes a solid bearing on the contiguous side of the base of the carrier (I, which forms a fulcruni therefor, causing the opposite side of the base of the carrier to be forced out, thus producing a downward draft on the pivot'pins and consequently a deflection of the spring portion 0, which, to regain its normal position, will always return the roller-carrier to a square and central position with respect to the hanger b, r

and by adjusting the screw and nut any degree of elastic pressure can be put upon the pivotpins, and hold the roller-carrier up to the hanger with more or less force, as required.

Fig. 5 shows a detail of a modification of the spring-adjusting mechanism, in which the pivot-pins now in common use are used, and an elongated nut, I, having suitably-constructed ends for engaging said pins, and is adj nsted by a screw, 71, as before described.

It preferred, the nut I, in Figs. 1 and 3, may be dispensed with, and the screw h reversed in position and screw up into the foot-plate or nut.

I claim- 1. A roller-skate wherein the two trucks are adj ustably held to the foot-plate by pivotpin levers, combined with a single adjustingscrew, as set forth.

2. A roller-skate constructed with hangers having each a pivot-bearing and an open or slotted bearing, combined with elongated piw ot-pins and a single adjusting-screw, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In roller-skate constructed with springs.

for holding the roller-trucks level with the foot-plate, and having mechanism for adjusting the pressure of said springs, the two trucks and their mechanism combined with one screw and nut, whereby the springs in both trucks are adjusted at one and the same operation, as set forth.

4. In a roller-skate, and combined with a foot-plate, hanger, and a roller-carrier, the pivot-pin, its recessed or grooved nut or washer, and adjustingscrew, all arranged for conjoint operation, whereby the pivot-pin is adjustably and, also releasably held, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a roller-skate, the foot-plate a, hangers b b, roller-carriers d (1, rolls a e c c, axles d (1 springs 0 1, pins f f, and screw h, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a roller-skate, the foot-plate a, hangers b b, roller-carriers d d, axles d d, rollers c c c e, pins/f, and screw h, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL E. KEMPHTER.

\Yitnesses:

HENRY Onanjeounx, ALBAN ANDREN.

IIO 

